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ELI-JAH YOUNG, OF FAYETTEVIL'LE, MISSOURI.

Letters Patent No. 69,529, dated October 1, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Tro ALL'WHOM Ir MAY ooNoERN;

Beit known that I, ELIJAH YOUNG, of Fayetteville, in the county ofJohnson, and State of Missouri, have invented a new Sheaf-DroppingAttachment for l-Iarvcstersg and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full and clear description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.l

This invention consists in attaching to the framework of any reapingmachine a rotating reel or series of aprons radiating from a centralshaft which is located directly behind the reel that presses the headsof the standing grain down toward the cutters. As each of the aprons ofthe aforesaid reel receives suli'ioieut grain to form one sheafVthedriver who is operating the machine will press with one of his feet upona spring that will disengage a certain spring-p'awl that until'thatmoment will hold the said reel from turning, and so accumulate a. sheaf.

To enable those skillel in the art to make and use my improvedshcaf-attachment, I will proceed to describe its construction andoperation.A

Figure 1 of the-drawings, is a plan of a harvester provided with one ofthe improved sheaf-attachments.

Figure 2 is a sectionalelevation of a similar machine. i

A represents theframework of the machine, B the wheels on which it ismounted, and C the pole by which it is drawn. D is the reel that is usedin advance of 'the cutters ci, to press the heads of the standing graindown' toward them. These parts are all so precisely similarto thosemachines that are now in use that no particular description need hegiven of them'. Directly behind the reel D there is located a shaft, E,which has its bearings in some portion of the frame A. Radiating fromthis shaft there are four or more aprons, e, which form, 'with the shaftE, a rotating reel. On one end of the shaft E there is a toothedratchet, el, into the teeth of which a spring-pawl, c2, takes hold. Thispawl is fastened to an adjustable disk, e", secured to some portion ofthe frameA by means of the screws c3. These screws pass through slots inthe said disk, and permit an adjustment of it' byturning it forward orbackward.

Asthe driver sits upon his seat S, he can place one of his feet upon thetreadle El. The said treadle being connected with the spring-pawl bymeans of the link E2, will bysuch pressure of the drivers foot releasethe pawl from its ratchet and permit the reel E e to turn oversuiliciently to drop lone sheaf. The sheaves will be formed on theupper'side of the-lower forward apron eiby-the accumulation of the cutgrain as it comes from thecutters and is thrown-back by the reel D.Every time the driver releases the pawl e2, he should be careful to letit slip' back quickly, so as to catch on the next tooth of the ratchet.As the dropping of the sheaves is wholly under -the control of thedriver,l and not actuated by any arbitrary machinery, it follows thatthe size of the sheaves may be rendered uniform, whether the erop cut bea light or a heavy one. The journals of the shaft E should be li'ttcdinto adjustable bearings in the frame A, so that it might be raised upor lowered down as desired. Theaprons e may be formed of wide thinboards or other material, secured to arms radiating from the shaft E, orthey maybe formed of lattice-work, secured to those arms.

Having described my invention, what I claim, is-

The hdjustable disk e, in combination with the spring-pawl andthe-ratchet, substantially as described and ser forth.

ELIJAH YOUNG.

Witnesses:

M. RANDOLPH; Cms. H-.Bortn

